Moving house can be stressful and time consuming.

At the very top level, moving house is exciting, time consuming and emotional. There’s finding the place to go, securing it for yourself, and then finding out about what your new life in a new place may – or may not – offer.

And that’s all happening just before the physical upheaval and practicalities of a move.

Deciding to undertake a move yourself does have certain advantages. You won’t need to rely on anyone else doing what they’ve promised by the time they’ve promised to do it. You care for your own possessions better than anyone else, in all probability.

You avoid dodgy dealers. And it looks cheaper at the outset than hiring professional movers.

However, if this is the route you take, make sure you do it with both eyes wide open. Sometimes a ‘DIY’ move has hidden considerations:

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Damaged Goods

Experienced packers and trustworthy movers increase the chances of possessions arriving safe and sound. As you'll see from our easyStorageBoxes blog, simply packing things up is an art!

Add to this knowing how to safely move, load and transport things and a compelling case starts to emerge for calling in the professionals, at least in part.

Professional movers have the knowledge and experience, to say nothing of the right equipment and packing materials, to help protect your belongings.

They are also insured, so if things do get broken you are covered. Which leads us nicely to…

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Insurance

You will need to arrange appropriate insurance for various things, including:

·         Your possessions whilst they’re being moved;

·         The vehicle used for the move.

Whilst shopping around for insurance may get you a bargain, try not to scrimp on what’s covered and be certain about any excess charges and things that aren’t covered. The insurance may also dictate what kind of vehicle you can hire to move with.

And, of course, the rental company may make life harder if you don’t use their own insurance. (Whilst this may look restrictive from the outside, it’s often there with good reason: they know what cover you have and know the process when things go wrong.)

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Your safety

Whilst loading, unloading and moving will create hazards for belongings, never forget your own safety.

There is an art to lifting and manoeuvring with boxes and belongings.

Consider carefully what the implications of painful standing or sitting might mean to you, or even taking extra time off work. Professionals are trained to handle things properly.

(See: the Experts Guide to Lifting Boxes)

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Transport

Whilst physically moving to load things may be the point we consider the highest risk to possessions, the transport also needs to be smoothIf you’ve never driven a heavy vehicle before, there are certain considerations:

·         Safely navigating and controlling a large/ heavy moving vehicle requires a certain level of skill. Sharp turns, sudden stops, even accelerating, can all cause shocks or vibrations that can damage the load.

·        Temperature fluctuations can cause damage, as can a lack of adequate packing protection. This is especially true for artwork and electronics.

·         Route planning, and the risk of accidents in an unfamiliar vehicle.

Driving a rental moving van through unfamiliar places, perhaps with your family inside and prized belongings on board is a huge responsibility. After the stress of packing and getting out on time, you must ensure that you are fit and well enough to drive.

When you pick up the rental van, make sure you have a familiarisation with all of the controls. No rental company should let you leave without this, but they rent out so many, often to driving professionals, that sometimes these things get overlooked.

When you pick up your van, ensure that you understand what the terms and conditions are:

·         Are you charged for mileage?

·         Is the insurance adequate?

·         Are you renting with a full tank of fuel, and how should you return it?

·         When and where is the return expected?

·         What hidden extras may there be?

You should always inspect the vehicle you collect for damage, no matter how quickly the rental company wants to be shot of you to move onto their next job: you are likely to be liable for all bumps. Make sure you know what damage was already there, and what costs there will be for any damage, even if it’s just an excess on the insurance.

And of course, make sure your driving licence covers you for the size of vehicle you need.

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Theft

People often worry about the moving company having staff with ‘light fingers’.  However, the more likely scenario is a truck left alone while the driver takes a break for food or relief, for example at a service station. (Whilst security cameras may be a deterrent, and may help track perpetrators, the reality is that’s small comfort if you’re broken into and things go missing – or worse still the whole vehicle goes missing.)

Safety considerations are important.

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Still determined to DIY?

If you are still determined to ‘DIY’, remember to plan well ahead, and pay attention to the detail.  Know your own limitations and never be afraid to call in help - and professional help when needed. Even as professionals, there are some things we at easyStorage still call for specialist help with.

There are, as we indicated above, plenty of tips on both the easyStorage blog and its companion easyStorageBoxes blog.

May we be the first to congratulate you on the move to your new home, and wish you every success with the move and happiness when you arrive.